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The Forsyths Foundation handed over a $2000 donation to Rural Outreach and Support Services on Tuesday.
Formed in 2015, the foundation enables Forsyths staff to donate money from their salary each fortnight which is then matched dollar-for-dollar by the firm.
At the end of the year, staff nominate which local charity they would like to donate to and the foundation's committee makes the final decision.
When the Inverell branch of Forsyths made the donation, Rural Outreach and Support Services manager Vicki Higgins said due to current COVID-19 restrictions hosting support groups has become more expensive.
"We hold regular group meetings for ladies, men and an LGBTI group. Because of COVID we can't fit everybody in our room at the office so we have to source other venues and we also have restrictions around catering food as well.
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"These groups are vital because they are a way for us to keep in touch with people, it gives them connectivity and we can identify what each person needs individually from the meetings," she said.
Predominately Rural Outreach and Support Services help with homelessness and prevention of homelessness. The small, but dedicated, team host workshops to teach life skills and vital education needed to stay in-home.
Forsyths Inverell principal David McLennan said given the years of drought in the area and the recent impacts of COVID, the foundation decided to double their donation this year from $1000 to $2000.
"We earmarked this organisation as one we thought would be a great way to give back to the community. All of our staff contribute on fortnightly, per-pay basis and at the end of the year our organisation does dollar-for-dollar matching.
"Then throughout our regions, each centre donates money back through to their local communities," he said.
Although the local service has not seen an increase in homelessness since COVID-19 began, they are preparing for later in the year when Government payments decrease and stop completely.
"There was also an expected increase in domestic violence but as yet it hasn't happened which is really, really positive. I've talked with the DV coordinator for the area, she covers a huge area, and she says numbers are on par to normal."
Rural Outreach and Support Service offers support to the Inverell, Glen Innes, Tenterfield and Gwydir Shires. Another program offered through the service is an AVO Compliance and Education Program.
"We cover a large area, on a monthly basis we support around 140 people," Vicki said.
Forsyths has established offices in Armidale, Coonabarabran, Gunnedah, Inverell and Tamworth.
